February’s best retail deals

This may be one of the best shopping months of the year

JeanettePavini

February may be short a few days compared with other months, but it surely doesn’t fall short with the deals. Indeed, this may be one of the best shopping months of the year.

All thanks to a combination of Presidents Day, Valentine’s Day, end of winter and the after effects of a January trade show.

1. Online clothing, shoes and accessories

Like to own some designer duds? Well, this may be the time to update that wardrobe. Shop It To Me, a website that provides shoppers with personalized sale updates, analyzed its 2012 data and found that February offered the steepest discounts for online clothing, shoes and accessories.

Reuters

It’s true that the holiday months, November and December, have a larger quantity of sales, but it’s in February that you can find the largest percentage off—a 47%-off average to be exact. February can take credit for 15 of the top 20 discount days in 2012. This is based on Shop It To Me’s analysis of 585,000 markdowns from 150 online retailers like J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, Athleta, and premium jeans brand Citizens of Humanity.

“If the weather is mild, we may see the clearance events start even earlier. Last year, the average discount on Feb. 4 was a whopping 49%,” says Charlie Graham, founder and chief executive of Shop It To Me.

Mr. Graham says before you shop, it’s important to know what constitutes a good deal. He suggests at least 45% off women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, 40% off menswear, and 35% or more off handbags.

“Shop early!” he recommends. “There are great discounts to be found this month, but the volume is small so jump on the things you want right away.” As more stores offer free shipping and even returns, he says to buy two sizes and return one if you’re unsure about the fit.

2. Presidents Day sales

Presidents Day is the pinnacle of February shopping. This was the 2012 holiday with the highest percentage-off discount in 2012, according to Shop It To Me, (in 2011, it was Labor Day).

“Retailers are motivated to reduce prices this month because they want to clear out winter merchandise and begin selling items for spring,” Mr. Graham says. “That’s why Presidents Day weekend is synonymous with great sales.”

Presidents Day is known for deals on big-ticket items like furniture, mattresses and electronics. When it comes to buying a mattress, always negotiate for a discount, free delivery or have them throw in a set of sheets, a mattress pad or a bed frame.

3. Wearable fitness devices

New electronics are introduced every January at the International Consumer Electronics Show. That means in February, stores want to get rid of old models and make room for new inventory. And it’s not just big-screen TVs.

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The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) says digital health and fitness technology at the 2013 International CES grew by 25% over last year’s show. That amounts to more than 215 exhibitors, many of them there to show off their wearable devices.

According to an association study, 55% of U.S. online consumers used a fitness technology in 2012, and 37% anticipate a fitness technology purchase in 2013. So, how does this translate into a deal? Think traditional pedometers. They will hit the clearance bins to make room for the new, more-advanced devices.

4. Digital cameras

This year’s models will feature an increase in Wi-Fi enabled cameras. As they become the norm, we may start to see prices drop on models without it.

Why Wi-Fi? Some folks are starting to leave their digital cameras at home and opting for the convenience of smartphones to take pictures. At the 2013 electronics show, manufacturers introduced new Wi-Fi enabled cameras, making it easier to email and share photos on social networks.

5. Flowers

You can thank St. Valentine for this one. And although flowers tend to be marked up in February, you can still make flowers a best buy.

If you live near a wholesale flower market, skip the florist and make your own bouquet. Markets open as early as 2 a.m. but let the public in later. Some may charge an admission fee of a dollar or two.

If you have to go to the florist, keep in mind red roses may be marked up. So think pink or your sweetheart’s favorite color. Save when you skip the full dozen and go with half roses combined with filler flowers.

Jeanette
Pavini

Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, documentarian and author Jeanette Pavini covers consumer and investigative news for numerous publications, radio and television. Jeanette is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follow her on Twitter @jeanettepavini.

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Jeanette
Pavini

Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, documentarian and author Jeanette Pavini covers consumer and investigative news for numerous publications, radio and television. Jeanette is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follow her on Twitter @jeanettepavini.

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